METRA PHOTOS

UNION PACIFIC - NORTH LINE

A southbound Metra train is seen at the Ravenswood stop, on Chicago's north side.

View from the front of a southbound Metra train, as a northbound train is seen stopped at Evanston's Central Street station.

From Wilmette to North Chicago, the original Chicago North Shore & Milwaukee interurban route paralleled the former Chicago and North Western, and most of the right of way has been made into a path. Through Winnetka, both railroads benefited from a significant grade separation project, completed in 1941. In the south part of Winnetka, the route was built above street level. Both lines had stations near Indian Hill Country Club, and remnants of the North Shore Line's Indian Hill platform are visible in this view. Meanwhile, a Metra train is seen heading north.

The line becomes more rustic north of Fort Sheridan, where the North Shore Line right of way has been made into a nice trail. A Metra train is seen heading north.

A southbound Metra train approaches the Lake Bluff station.

Freight traffic is basically limited to north of Lake Bluff, and consists mostly of coal unit trains. In 1994, prior to the UP acquisition, C&NW C40-8 #8564 is seen in the consist of a northbound coal unit train, headed to a Commonwealth Edison power plant.

At the Waukegan station, where a Metra train is visible, along with Union Pacific and former Chicago and North Western freight locomotives in the yard. Lake Michigan is visible in the background.